Portrait of a President on a Revealing Night

Published: April 15, 2004

To the Editor:

In his press conference, President Bush remarked: ''Nobody likes to see dead people on their television screens. I don't. It's a tough time for the American people to see that. It's gut-wrenching'' (transcript, April 14).

To shield us, the Pentagon has barred the media from showing coffins carrying the remains of American service people.

We would be better off if the president pursued policies that prevent casualties -- American and Iraqi -- instead of policies that prevent us from viewing the images of them.